Friday, July 25, 2008

Names


I’m trying to remember the names of people in my new ministry environment – all 700+ of them. I decided to start with the key people first.
Remembering names has always been one of my weakest points. Putting the face to a name is even more challenging, though I’m better at remembering faces than names.
GPC is in the process of updating its members’ directory – the new directory will have a photo next to the name. That will be a tremendous help for me!

Found this on the website http://www.ehow.com/how_1986_remember-names.html, which
provides simple, yet helpful steps to remembering names (reproduced below):

Step1
Pay attention when you are introduced to someone. A few minutes after you meet the person, say his or her name to yourself again. If you have forgotten it, talk to the person again and ask for the name.
Step2
Write down the new name three times while picturing the person's face; do this as soon as possible after meeting someone.
Step3
Ask how to spell a difficult name, or glance at the spelling on the person's business card, if it's offered. If you know the spelling of a word and can picture it in your mind, you'll remember it better.
Step4
Connect a name to a common word you will remember. For example, the name Salazar could sound like 'salamander,' 'bazaar' or 'sell a jar.'
Step5
Make a connection to the person's hobby or employment. 'Bill the pill' might help you remember the name of your pharmacist, for example.

1 comment:

A dogsbone - to CHEW on, to PICK on... said...

Right ! Did that when I was a teenager. My dad had a friend called Wong Hee Diong. To remember or rather to be naughty, I 'remembered' his name as Wongkydong!. It was my undoing as i met him again and addressed him as 'hi- uncle Wongkydong!" Moral of the story - don't forget the REAL name !!
-adogsbone-